Reflecting flare



Uni v. tes

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in flares, and especially concerns a continously fused flare having a movable reflecting means.

Heretofore, flares used in the battlefield and in frontline warfare were subject to extinguishment due to gunfire etc. Furthermore, the flares, used in this manner, were beneficial and useful to the enemy troops as well as friends. The flares not only supplied light for the defenders against attackers, but also for those on the attack, thus exposing the position of the defenders and readily supplying a visible target. When such flares were used to light up the enemys territory, they were very often shot at by the enemy, thus extinguishing the light. Thus, it was necessary to replace these with other flares. Invariably, this was expensive as well as hazardous.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a flare for night action against enemy attack that is continuously fused and may be reignited at any time in case of extinguishment.

Another object of this novel device is to provide a flare with directional lighting, whereby the attackers are exposed and also blinded by the intensified lighting produced by the flare and its reflector.

Still another important object of this invention is the provision of a reflector which rises at the same rate as the flare, thus reflecting the light directly on the attackers, yet at the same time concealing the defenders, in somewhat the same manner as car headlights whereby the reflector acts as a shield blacking out the area behind the reflector.

Another important provision of this invention is a segmented reflector which is raised with the flare. Thus, in case the reflector should be hit by small arms fire or by shrapnel, the concussion only knocks off the segmerited, exposed part of the reflector, instead of destroying the entire structure of the reflector.

Another important object of this flare is to provide a concealed reigniting source which would reignite a flare which may be shot out.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the attached drawings.

In accordance with the present invention, the continuously fused flare comprises one or more flares suitably connected together in a casing having a reflector, such as aluminum, attached thereto. Means have been provided whereby the flares and the segmented reflector are raised at the same rate, thus providing a continuous reflected flare. In case the flare and/or flares are extinguished, the concealed, protected reigniting means reignites the flares automatically. If the flare should be hit with gun fire, only the segmented, exposed part of the flare and reflector will be knocked off, and will be replaced by the remaining, continuously upward-moving flare and reflector.

The flare, according to the present invention, is positioned in any suitable place, such as a prepared hole, behind walls, stones etc. It is placed so that the reflector is located behind the flare, thus reflecting the light directly towards the enemy, yet protecting the defenders from being seen. The flare or flares and the reflectors are raised at a predetermined rate, exposing 2,914,659 Patented Nov. 24, 1959 ice the minimum part of each at any one time. Thus the light given ofl by the flares is reflected and intensified by the use of the reflector, and also directed forward, blacking out the area behind the flare. In the event a pair of flares are used and one flare is extinguished by a bullet, shrapnel, etc., the other flare, connected thereto by suitable fuse means, is kept burning and the extinguished flare will be reignited by the burning flare, as shown in Figures 1-3. However, when a single flare is employed and extinguished, as shown in Figure 4, the reigniting means located in the casing reignites the flare automatically. Inasmuch as the spring loaded refiector is segmented, only the minimum exposed part thereof, when hit by a bullet, will snap off and be replaced by the continuously upward moving, remaining part of the reflector. Thus it is seen that the entire structure of the reflector will not fold over the flare or flares when hit.

As illustrated in the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section taken on line 1-l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top view of the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the flare in part taken on line 3-3 in Figure 2, and showing the method of attaching reflector segments by the spring clips.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section illustrating one modified embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, an embodiment of a flare according to the present invention is illustrated. A vertical casing 1, substantially tubular in shape is shown having a removably fastened base cap 9 thereon. The casing 1 in the present modification is substantially semi-cylindrical in cross section, and the cap 9 may be attached for instance, by a press fit.

One or more conventional flares, such as the rodshaped magnesium flares 4, are vertically disposed within the casing 1 on a flare holder base '7, having an upstanding portion 108 thereof. A conventional compres sion spring 10 is disposed between the cap 9 and the base 7, causing the base 7 to be spring loaded. Thus, the spring 10 urges base 7 constantly upward through the casing 1.

A reflector 2, formed from any highly polished reflective material such as polished aluminum or the like, is shown as being semi-cylindrical in shape, and is disposed within the casing 1 so that the bottom of the reflector rests on the top of the upstanding portion 108 of base 7. It will therefore be seen that as the base 7 is urged constantly upward with the flares 4 thereon, the reflector 2 is likewise urged upwardly at the same rate. The reflector 2 comprises segments arranged vertically in a plurality and held together in substantially close spaced relationship by spring clips 3 fastened thereto. At the circumferential extremities of each reflector segment, the edges 101 are rolled, so that a pin may be inserted therethrough. Thus, when the segments are stacked, aligning pins 6 are inserted through the rolled edges 101 to align the reflector segments with respect to each other.

As best illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the clips 3 are attached to the bottom portion of a segment by suitable rivets or spot welds 105, and these spring clips 3 clamp the succeeding segment 2A in substantially rigid manner. The top edge 8 of each segment is thicker on the rear or reverse side thereof to insure that a segment, if shot away, will fall to the rear, as the spring clip 3 is unable to become disengaged forwardly. This edge 8 may be rolled or flanged or formed by any suitable process.

It is herein seen that the pins 6 are slidably engaged or inserted in the interior of the rolled edges 101 of the the igniter 10 is thence broken.

- 2,914,659 r V, a

upwardly off of and above the pins 6. I

The movement of the base 7 upwardly through the casing 1 is controlled by a cable 106 which is suitably attached to the bottom of the base 7. A. cable release mechanism 107, in the form of a governor, is controlled by an electric solenoid 103 to pay out cable 106 over pulley 11 to allow the base 7 to be urged upwardly by spring 10 at a controlled rate of speed. This is predetermined by the known rate at which the flares burn, and is set or manufactured accordingly. Wires 102 supply current from a source (not shown) for actuating the solenoid. Thus, only the burning portion 'of the flares 4 is allowed to be exposed above the top of the casing 1. Simultaneously, only one segment, or the portion thereof, is allowed to be exposed above the top of casing 1 for reflecting .the light from a burning flare 4.

Wires 104, either entering the casing with wires 102 or connected to wires 102, are attached to the top portion 18 of the flares for igniting the flares and are connected through the base 7 at a break-away jack 13. This jack is ,a conventional slip contact which breaks connection as the base 7 moves upwardly. Thus, upon actuating the flare, the flares 4 are ignited, and the solenoid 103 allows spring 10 to urge the base 7 with flares 4 and reflector 2 upwardly. Contact of wires 104 with The igniters 18, generally shown as the enlarged portions of flares 4 in Fig. 1, are connected to wire 104, and are connected together by fuses 5. The igniters may be of any type well known to those skilled in the art for igniting a flare. An Amphenol type 781S jack and 71-18 plug may be used for the break-away jack 13, and is obtainable from any electronics parts supplier. It will become apparent that, as the cable 106 permits base 7 to be urged upwardly by the spring 10, the jack 13 disconnects the wire 104 at the base 7, thence allowing the base 7 to raise upwardly unimpeded. The disconnection of wire 104 by the jack 13, it is understood, follows ignition of the flares 4 by supplying current to the igniters 18 through the Wire 104.

Fuse strips connect the flares 4 together at spaced intervals, so that should one of the flares be shot out, or a portion broken off by a projectile fragment, and the other flare continues to be ignited the unlit flare would be re-ignited by a fuse 5. If an exposed segment of the reflector 2 is hit and shot away, the spring clips 3 allow the segment to break away only to the rear of the flare, and as the assembly is urged upwardly, another segment is brought into exposed position.

It will be apparent that the flares will be placed substantially forward of a line of defense. Thus the actuation of the solenoid and the igniting of the flares may be controlled by a person at the line, as wires 102 may lead to a source of power and a switch controlled by the said person. Accordingly, if a flare is hit by a projectile or shrapnel, the person may actuate the solenoid to bring another reflector segment into position, the flare automatically becoming re-ignited by a fuse 5.

Another embodiment of the present invention disclosing a modification of the means used for reigniting an extinguished flare is illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The flare 4 is shown having fuses 5 extending outwardly from the side portion of the flare 4 so that as the flare 4 is raised upwardly, the fuse 5 is in direct contact with the flame 40 of a small gas cartridge 50, of the conventional type, which is concealed in and attached to the casing 1 by means of a clamp 30, or

other such suitable means. As the flare 4 is raised, it

may be continuously reignited as fuse 5 comes in contact with the flame 40. Thus, at all times, as a flame is being expelled from the protected gas cartridge 50, the fuses 5 will be subject to the flame 40, thus assuring that the flare 4 will be reignited at theproper height from thebase.

The above modification may be ignited initially as in Figure 1, the burning flare 4 igniting the flame 40, or the flare may be ignited manually.

It is believed that the many advantages of the reflecting flare constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the detail of construction may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

1 claim:

1. A device for directing intensified light comprising a flare, and a segmented reflector, and first means for igniting said flare, and second means for urging'said flare and said reflector into exposed position, said flare and said reflector and said first and second means being disposed in a casing, said reflector including segments thereof held together and adapted to be broken away, said first means being an igniter for causing said flare to burn, said second means including a compression spring and a governor, said spring urging said reflector and said flare simultaneously upwardly for exposing a portion of said reflector and said burning flare above said a casing.

2. A device according to claim 1 having a second flare connected to said first-mentioned flare, fuse strips connecting said flares together at spaced intervals, said fuse strips being adapted to re-ignite one of said flares which has become extinguished.

3. A device according to claim 1, said segments of said recector being arranged vertically in a plurality, said segments being held together by spring clips, said segments having rolled edges at the circumferential extremities and an aligning pin placed therein, whereby a segment may be broken away to the rear of said reflector.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said flare is adapted to have a portion thereof exposed above said casing at a predetermined rate of speed according to the rate of burning of said flare, and said reflector has a portion thereof exposed above said casing at the same rate as said flare.

5. A device according to claim 1, said first means being electrical means attached to said flare for igniting said flare.

6. A device according to claim 1, said governor being controlled by an electric solenoid for controllably paying out a cable, said cable being attached to a base having said flare and said reflector thereon, said second means urging said base constantly upwardly at a controlled constant rate of speed.

7. A device for directing intensified light comprising a segmented reflector, a flare, first means for igniting said flare, second means for urging said flare and said reflector into exposed position, said flare and said reflector being disposed within a casing on a base, said first means being a flame from a conventional gas cartridge directed towards said flare, said flare having fuse strips extending outwardly from the side thereof adapted to be raised in direct contact with said flame, said second means including a compression spring and a governor controlled by a solenoid for causing said base to be urged constantly upwardly at a controlled rate of speed, whereby said flare and said reflector have a portion thereof raised into an exposed position above said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent Bertrams Feb. 5, 1957 Yr WW... 

